Will 14-year-olds Benjamin Auckram and Madeline Ewing be the next James Magnussen and Alicia Coutts and will 16-year-olds Lachlan Walker and Aimee Landrigan be the next Ian Thorpe and Susie O’Neill and 12-year-olds Harry Kilburn and Abbie Yourell be the next Michael Klim and Libby Trickett when it comes to swimming?
Could 12-year olds Angus Smyth and Michael Maher along with 18-year-old Seth McClelland, 17-year-old Joshua Healy and 14-year-old George Cooper play for Australia in Baseball at the next Olympics or 15-year-old Luka Venables and 13-year-old Billy Bradford for the Australian Men’s Hockey Team, the Kookaburras?
And perhaps 11-year-olds Lucy Flocchini, Ashlee Collins and Ciara Close, along with 16-year-olds Dakota Everingham, Ella Roberts and Jesse Noll, 13-year-old Eloise Davis and 12-year-old Eva Mcrae could one day play for the Australian Diamonds Netball Team.
Could Gold at the Olympics be in the futures of 14-year-olds Bridgette Hoffman and Eliza Blunn, 15-year-old Hunter Ryan, 11-year-old Bridgette Marsden and 16-year-old Chloe Trustum in the Athletics arena?
And could 15-year-old Nikiesha Mcpaul make it on the Australian Women’s Softball Team, and 15-year-old Joshua Lee win Olympic Gold in caneoing while 16-year-old Damien Rojcevic do the same in Volleyball and 17-year-old Matilda Narvo in Gymnastics?
Only time will tell, but Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan is making sure that 30 young Lismore Sporting Champions are given every opportunity to follow their dreams.
At a Local Sporting Champions Award morning tea today, Mr Hogan presented the 30 local teenagers with a certificate in recognition of their achievements and confirmed their grants from the Local Sporting Champions program.
“Those who received the Awards have excelled themselves representing Lismore on the national and state stage,” he said.
The Local Sporting Champions program provides financial assistance to young people aged between 12 and 18 years to compete, coach or umpire in their chosen sport.
“Lismore has produced some outstanding sportspeople in the past, and it is important that we support the next crop of our local sporting talent,” Mr Hogan said.
“Unfortunately succeeding in sport doesn’t just take talent and determination – parents also often have to put their hands in their pockets to get their children to competitions. I’m very pleased to be able to help these families with financial support through these grants.
“Sport is important in the development of young people: it teaches them life-long skills like teamwork, keeps them fit and healthy, and allows them to excel in something they love and enjoy.
“I encourage any budding champions out there who have the opportunity of competing at a state, national or international event to apply for a grant by contacting my office or checking out the website ausport.gov.au.”
In no particular order, our latest Lismore Sporting Champions are:
- Benjamin Auckram, 14yo, 2019 Hancock Prospecting Australian Age Swimming Championships
- Lachlan Walker, 16yo, 2019 Hancock Prospecting Australian Age Swimming Championships
- Bridgette Hoffman, 14yo, Australian All Schools Athletics Championships
- George Cooper, 14yo, Australian Youth Baseball Championships
- Madeline Ewing, 14yo, 2019 Hancock Prospecting Australian Age Swimming Championships
- Joshua Healy, 17yo, Australian Youth Baseball Championships
- Seth Mcclelland, 18yo, 2019 U18 Australian Youth Baseball Championships
- Harry Kilburn, 12yo, 2019 NSW Junior State Age Swimming Championships
- Nikiesha Mcpaul, 15yo, NSWCHS Softball Championships
- Hunter Ryan, 15yo, State Track and Field Championships
- Joshua Lee, 15yo, 2019 ICF Wildwater Junior and U23 World Championships
- Eliza Blunn, 14yo, Athletics State Championships
- Damien Rojcevic, 16yo, NSWCHS State Volleyball Championships
- Abbie Yourell, 12yo, RMCH QLS Swimming Sprint Championships
- Bridgette Marsden, 11yo, State Little Athletics Championships
- Angus Smyth, 12yo, Little League Baseball State Championships
- Dakota Everingham, 16yo, Netball NSW State Championships
- Michael Maher, 12yo, NSW State Little League Baseball Championships
- Matilda Narvo, 17yo, 2019 Aer Fig Cantanhede World Cup Open Gymnastics Competition
- Eva Mcrae, 12yo, Netball NSW Junior State Titles
- Luka Venables, 15yo, Under 15s Australian National Hockey Championships
- Eloise Davis, 13yo, Junior Netball State Titles
- Jesse Noll, 16yo, 2019 Senior Netball State Titles
- Aimee Landrigan, 16yo, 2019 NSW Senior State Age Swimming Championships
- Billy Bradford, 13yo, 2019 U15 Outdoor Boys and Girls Hockey Australian Championships
- Ella Roberts, 16yo, 2019 Senior Netball State Titles
- Lucy Flocchini, 11yo, Netball NSW State Championships
- Chloe Trustum, 16yo, 2019 Mcdonalds State Championships
- Ashlee Collins, 11yo, Netball NSW State Age Championships
- Ciara Close, 11yo, Netball NSW State Age Championships
For more information about the program, go to www.ausport.gov.au
